“Apple Inc is exploring launching iPhones with bigger screens, as well as cheaper models in a range of colors, over the next year, said four people with knowledge of the matter,” Clare Jim, Reiji Murai and Poornima Gupta report for Reuters.
“Apple is looking at introducing at least two bigger iPhones next year – one with a 4.7-inch screen and one with a 5.7-inch screen – said the sources, including those in the supply chain in Asia,” Jim, Murai, and Gupta report. “They said suppliers have been approached with plans for the larger screens, but noted it is still unclear whether Apple will actually launch its flagship product in the larger sizes. ‘They constantly change product specifications almost to the final moment, so you’re not really sure whether this is the final prototype,’ said one person with direct knowledge of the matter.”
“The current iPhone 5 has one of the smaller screens among the best-selling smartphones in the mobile market, where consumers spend more time browsing the web and streaming content,” Jim, Murai, and Gupta report. “Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2 have 5-inch and 5.5-inch screens, respectively.”
MacDailyNews Take: The inference is wrong, based on the data: Apple’s iOS dominates with nearly 60% Web usage share versus Android’s 26% share.
“For this year, Apple is expected to launch two new models, widely referred to as the iPhone 5S, with new fingerprint technology, and a cheaper version in plastic casing, supply chain sources have said,” Jim, Murai, and Gupta report. “Apple plans to dress up the cheaper phone in a range of 5-6 colors to differentiate it from the more expensive model that has traditionally come only in black and white. The U.S. firm has discussed a price of $99 for the cheaper phone, the timing of which could slip to next year, one of the people said. It’s not yet clear what the final price would be.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
It’s Reuters, it’s BS.
Well, let’s think about this.
The mac was mono-color for a long time. The iPod was mono-color, too. But look what happened when color was introduced to the iMac and the iPod nano. The appeal to the younger generation increased. What do they say about iOS7 – full of estrogen, probably young estrogen. What is happening to our males? They are becoming feminized. Maybe Apple’s next strategy is to introduce colors, and colors approved by Steve Jobs, too.
The retina display is of no use to me. However, I have always felt this was Apple’s attempt at resolution independence. Now with retina resolutions, the iPhone can be any size without fracturing the platform. This is brilliant, IMHO.
Want to see Apple stock soar? Let’s hope for this to happen.
Total nonsense. Unfortunately these stories do damage Apple, as they subliminally reinforce the idea that a 5.7inch smart phone is a great idea, inferring that if Apple is planning to make dinner plate sized handsets then Samsung must be miles ahead of the game. The only reason Samsung makes 5 inch handsets is because they haven’t worked out how to micro engineer multi core processors into a small useable/portable handset the way Apple has. Apple should just come out and say that these are made up lies and put these informants in their place.
As I have said all along, it’s coming. And when it finally arrives it will outsell the 5S easily. If they were selling it today the stock price would be at least $150 higher. I’m not sure why there is so much denial about a larger iPhone. I understand the pushback from all the guys with small hands. But for the people who think it will hurt revenue/margins, they don’t know what they’re talking about. Quite the contrary, it will boost both. The stock can get out of the penalty box. But I remember all the people here telling me (constantly) that there would be no iPad Mini too. Déjà vu all over again.
What the heck! I’ve got big hands and have no problem operating my iPhone one handed. Seriously you’d have to have Gorilla sized hands to operate a 5.7inch phone one handed. And you’ll need to tighten up your belt several notches to keep your trousers up. The iPad mini makes a lot of sense, a 5.7 inch iPhone, no sense at all.
Personally, 5.7 is too big BUT something larger than 4 would be welcomed.
Yes, 5.7 inches is too big. But there is a sweet spot and 4 inches is not it. I don’t want something as big as an iPad mini. Just bigger than the 5 or 5S. But again, there are those here just can’t accept a larger iPhone and it’s only because they try to associate it with a Samsung larger phone. A larger iPhone is not a larger Samsung phone! One has absolutely nothing to do with the other. Nothing. You cannot compare a larger Samsung phone with the coming larger iPhone. They aren’t going to stand in line for the larger Samsung phone but the line will be a mile-long for the a larger iPhone. Quit thinking about Samsung when you think about a larger iPhone. It’s just plain silly.
Looking at my iPhone 4 right now. Currently I estimate that around 35% of the front panel is not used as the screen. Once Apple figures out how to incorporate the mic, front facing camera and home button into the screen, then they could add say 10% width to the phone, effectively doubling the size of the phone’s screen real estate, without having to make a brick sized phone. Apple will figure all this out and when they do it will be the optimum sized screen for a phone. There you see, I’m not against bigger phones, as long as they are better and more usable phones.
Jeez! Aren’t you special? I want my iPhone, Mac Pros, iMacs, iPods, Mac Minis, AppleTV and MacBook Pros to be better and more usable too! Who doesn’t want everything they own to be better and more usable? It’s all about Samsung. That’s the gist of your original comment. Some of you here are just obsessed with Samsung! Get over it. They aren’t going away. And their larger phones don’t mean shit when speaking about a potential larger iPhone. Can’t you understand that? But apparently it’s more fun and easier to just constantly revert to the default fanboy follower logic(?) rather than be an objective adult. Whatever. Just tell me what you’re going to say when it shows up at the Apple store? I’ll bet we don’t hear a word out of you.
Chill out buddy, you’re stressing yourself for no good reason. In my original post I was making the point that Apple won’t be releasing a 5.7 inch iPhone, not now and not ever. I was using Samsung as a reference point as they are the only real player currently selling giant sized smartphones. I couldn’t care less about Samsung or the crap they produce. All I know is that Apple won’t be making a 5.7inch iPhone. And if they do I will eat a big slice of humble pie just for you. It’s not gonna happen though so don’t get too excited.
Agreed, these stories are designed to hurt Apple, not help them.
You would think that since Apple just launched a multi-million dollar campaign that basically says “we only work on one or two products while everyone else works on hundreds” that people would stop expecting apple to launch hundreds of products.
Pre-Steve Jobs return Apple offered dozens of different products in dozens of different configurations. Part of the “making things simple” is that you have an iPhone, you have 2 versions, and you have maybe 3 configurations. That’s all you need.
If Apple is breaking all the world records for sales on iPhones and their current pricing, why in the hell would Apple start making bigger or smaller, more expensive or cheaper phones?
The people that believe these stories lack one thing…common sense.
Ben, will you come back and comment when the larger iPhone is announced by Apple? Just an honest question, because I believe that it is coming. And I certainly don’t lack common sense. So can we expect to hear from you in the future? Or will you try to rationalize the larger iPhone somehow to fit your flawed argument?
These stories may be intended to freeze the market, but common sense doesn’t preclude Apple making multiple iPhones. Quite the opposite. Tim Cook basically admitted it that they haven’t done it “yet”
Apple sells a few million laptops, and found it best to release an 11″, 13″, 15″ (and previously 17″) models.
Apple sells tens of millions of iPads and now has 8″ and 10″ models.
Apple sells many tens of millions of iPhones and somehow there is only one acceptable size? That doesn’t make sense.
Sure, Apple wants to limit the options, but take a look at the MacBook Airs. Those that want small size would chose the 11″. Those that want battery life would choose the 13″. There are multilple use cases.
The same would be true for multiple phones. If you love your 4″, fine. If another person wants a bigger screen, that’s ok too. Get the phone that works best for your use case.
According to all reports I’ve read the market of phablets is very low. They are a stupid idea IMO. The best thing Apple could do is to add phone capabilities to the iPad mini and add an optional Bluetooth headset. If you don’t mind looking like a fool holding a massive phone to your head you won’t mind looking like a tool wearing a headset.
If the make a new sized phone in different dimensions its going to bloat universal apps. If the larger phone has the same dimensions as the current retina we’ll never hear the end of “x brand has a higher pixel density” from so called “analysts”
Most of the people I know with Samsung phones have them because the larger screen size is easier on the eyes. Boomers are a huge demographic, and we’re getting older!
Falling Apple falls!. Oh la la.
4.7 maybe. Id like to see something bigger then the 4in iphone 5 not just longer but it needs to be wider. However i think 4.3 is fine. 4.7 is to big and so is 5.7. Thats huge just because samsung does it in 5.7 and 20 other sizes doesnt mean apple will.
And plastic iPhone i dont think so. Cheaper iphone maybe but isnt that what they have in iPhone 4 and 4s
Money talks and obviously, with this announcement, bullshit walks.
Hope size increase is true. Hope colors is not. Keep the choices simple.
About time Apple diversified the iPhone lineup. The world is a diverse place – attempting to fend off the competition with a single model is not a very good strategy, even if Apple minimized sales losses by discounting old iPhone models. Time has come to offer a real iPhone family.
Rumors only, take with a big grain of salt. ;p
Oooooooooh. 4 gibbering clowns repeating the same dumb crap. It must be true!
If they make it, they will design the OS along with it, and it will be designed for two-handed use. A larger phone is probably at least a year away if it ever comes.
gs3 is the perfect size. apple should go with that
Nope…
Allot of “it’s unclear blah blah” in this article.
And “so you’re not really sure whether this is the final prototype,’ said one person with direct knowledge of the matter.”
Can we confirm this person has direct knowledge of the matter? Or did he just say so and the reporter believes him? Who are all these ink named sources? I would like to know how the reporter came to trust them ir what didilligense he did on the person he spoke to. Or do they just believe what any one is saying to them?